New Delhi/Islamabad: India has read out the riot act to Pakistan, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in response to Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s call to him Tuesday afternoon, “strongly and firmly” told Mr Sharif that Pakistan needs “to take firm and immediate action against the organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the Pathankot terrorist attack”. The external affairs ministry said in New Delhi: “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured Prime Minister Modi that his government would take prompt and decisive action against the terrorists.”
Sources said that Pakistan will be held accountable to its words this time, and if Pakistan fails to take action, the foreign secretary-level talks will be called off. The MEA said “specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan”. Mr Sharif, now visiting Colombo, called up Mr Modi from the Sri Lankan capital. News agencies cited Radio Pakistan as saying Mr Sharif, conveying sorrow over the loss of lives in the terror attack, told Mr Modi that terrorists “always try to derail the process of peace” between the two countries and that his country will fully cooperate and investigate the “leads” and “information” provided by India. “Pakistan will investigate in detail on the leads and information provided by the government of India,” Mr Sharif was quoted by Radio Pakistan as saying, pledging support to the Pathankot investigation, according to reports.
Sources said India has also taken note of the Pakistan foreign ministry’s “conciliatory” statement issued late on Monday night and views it “positively”, inferring that Pakistan is ready to act against the terrorists and wants to save the FS-level talks. Prime Minister Modi had made a sudden but brief visit to Lahore a few days ago to wish the Pakistan PM on his birthday, but despite that some plain-speaking was done on Tuesday.
Apart from the Pathankot attack, it has also come to light that the terrorists who sought to attack the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan were probably Taliban operating from Pakistani soil, which is another clear indication towards the Pakistani hand.
The conversation between the two PMs took place at around 3.45 pm, just about four hours after national security adviser Ajit Doval called up Pakistan’s NSA Lt. Gen. Nasser Khan Janjua (Retd) to inform him that the attack was planned from Pakistani soil. Sources said on Monday evening, the Indian security agencies had already presented preliminary evidence on call intercepts and GPS coordinates of handlers from Pakistan, including names of the handlers who orchestrated the attack. The National Investigation Agency will also seek Pakistan’s help in solving the Pathankot terror attack. India is also expected to send Pakistan a letter rogatory along with DNA samples of the slain terrorists who attacked the Pathankot airbase.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a call this afternoon from Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif regarding the terrorist attack on the Pathankot airbase. Prime Minister Modi strongly emphasised the need for Pakistan to take firm and immediate action against the organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the Pathankot terrorist attack. Specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured Prime Minister Modi that his government would take prompt and decisive action against the terrorists,” the MEA statement read.
In its statement issued Monday night, the Pakistan foreign office had said: “In line with Pakistan’s commitment to effectively counter and eradicate terrorism, the (Pakistan) Government is in touch with the Indian Government and is working on the leads provided by it.” Islamabad added: “Living in the same region and with a common history, the two countries should remain committed to a sustained dialogue process. The challenge of terrorism calls for strengthening our resolve to a cooperative approach.”
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